User Interface for Signal Integrity Network Analyzer

Abstract

A signal integrity network analyzer is provided. The analyzer preferably includes a characterization module for characterizing a device under test, an acquisition module for acquiring a waveform, a de-embedding module for selectively embedding and de-embedding on or more system fixtures, and an analysis module for performing analysis on the acquired waveform, with one or more system features selectively embedded or de-embedded. A single user interface is provided and is adapted to control the characterization module, the acquisition module, the de-embedding module and the analysis module.

1 . A signal integrity network analyzer, comprising:
 a characterization module for characterizing a device under test;   an acquisition module for acquiring a waveform;   a de-embedding module for selectively embedding and de-embedding one or more system fixtures;   an analysis module for performing analysis on the acquired waveform, with one or more system features selectively embedded or de-embedded; and   a single user interface adapted to control the characterization module, the acquisition module, the de-embedding module and the analysis module.   
     
     
         2 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the characterization module, the acquisition module, the de-embedding module, the analysis module, and the user interface are contained within a single apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the characterization module, the acquisition module, the de-embedding module, the analysis module, and the user interface is contained in a separate apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , further comprising a calibration module, the calibration module allowing for proper calibration of the signal integrity network analyze through the selection of a single calibration sequence. 
     
     
         5 . The analyzer of  claim 4 , further comprising a storage memory for storing one or more calibration settings from the calibration module, such stored calibration settings being retrievable and reusable for future calibration of the signal integrity network analyzer. 
     
     
         6 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the characterization module determines one or more s-parameters for the device under test. 
     
     
         7 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis module determined one or more s-parameters for a system including the device under test and one or more embedded system features. 
     
     
         8 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein an accuracy setting of the analyzer module may be selected. 
     
     
         9 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer module may be run in a continuous mode. 
     
     
         10 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer module may be instructed to process results by a particular method. 
     
     
         11 . The analyzer of  claim 10 , wherein the particular method comprises automatically emailing the results. 
     
     
         12 . The analyzer of  claim 10 , wherein the particular method comprises storing the results. 
     
     
         13 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein after analysis of a waveform by the analysis module, one or more system parameters may be modified, and the analysis module analyzes the acquired waveform in accordance with the one or more modified system parameters. 
     
     
         14 . The analyzer of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more modified system parameters comprises embedding or de-embedding one or more system fixtures. 
     
     
         15 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer module generates an eye diagram representative of the acquired waveform. 
     
     
         16 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer module generates an eye diagram representative of the acquired waveform as influenced by a channel, equalized receiver and transmitter. 
     
     
         17 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer module generates a Smith chart. 
     
     
         18 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the de-embedding module de-embeds one or more cables. 
     
     
         19 . The analyzer of  claim 1 , wherein the de-embedding module selectively embeds one or more simulated system fixtures. 
     
     
         20 . The analyzer of  claim 19 , wherein the analysis module analyzes an acquired waveform an including the effects of the embedded one or more simulated system fixtures.